Improved pile-driver



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS SHAW, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVED PILE-DRIVER.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 811,383, dated November 24, 1868.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS SHAW, of the ci ty and county of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Mode of Driving Piles 5 and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention consists in the driving of piles by the force of gunpowder or other explosive materials, in the manner and for the purpose as hereafter described.

The obj ect of the invention is to drive piles more rapidly, forcibly, and economically.

In order to enable others to use and practice my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and mode of operation.

On reference to the accompanying drawing, which forms part of the specification, the sketch represents a front view, of which A represents a metal tube, with a strip cut out from its entire length to furnish guides for the reception of hammerG and cylinder-guide It. B is acast-iron base supporting said tube. D and E are ring and cap, for ornament. F is a spring to limit upward stroke of hammer. C is a rack secured to tube A, into which plays pawl I, which is pivoted to hammer G by screw K. L is a spring pressing against pawl K. Said spring is bent on its outer end, so as to form a catch when the pawl is pulled into it, as hereafter described. H is an eyelet through which cord U passes. O is a plunger, provided with nipple P. M and N are pins to limit the amount of stroke of pawl I. R is a steel cylinder iittin g in guides of tube A, and is recessed on its under side for the reception of pile T, and is bored on its upper side for the reception of plunger O of the hammer.

The machine is put in operation in this Wise:

The pile is lifted in place in the usual way, and v above cylinder R, and a cartridge of powder, with fulminating material, should be placed into chamber S of cylinder R, when the cord U should be pulled with sufficient force to pull pawl I into catch on end of spring L, when the hammer will fall and force its plunger into the chamber S and explode the powder, forcing the hammer up again and force the pile into the ground. The catch-spring L releases the pawl when the blow is struck by virtue of the downward force of the long end of pawl and of the spring. The pawl being released it catches into the rack C, which retains it at its highest position until again pulled out to be allowed to fall upon powder and be forced up, as afore described.

It will be observed that the guides need not be constructed from a tube, and that the rack and pawl could be transposed-z. c., the rack upon the hammer, and the pawl secured to the guidewithout any alteration in theresult, and that the chamber S and plunger O could be transposed without any alteration in the result, and that gun-cotton and otherexplosive materials can be used.

I therefore do not wish to confine myself to the exact shape of apparatus or to the kind of explosivematerial to be employed; but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A suitably-guided hammer, G, in combination with a cylinder, R, all constructed, ar ranged, and operating in the manner and by the means described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. The rack G, pawl K, and spring L, in combination with the hammer G, all constructed and arranged as described, and for the purpose specified.

rHoMAs sHAw. [1.. s]

Witnesses:

ELIAs J. SHAW, E. COBB. 

